Trail & Snow Report:

Another jog up to Tour de Don today found contrasting temperatures. The valley was cloudy again, but the skies cleared towards 1700m and the crete between Croix and Barbossine had loads of hoar frost on the bushes and trees in the shade. A bit of a cold breeze was blowing off the ice crystals, so that the narrow path up the crete looked like it was covered in white bird's feathers. The 5th photo below is an attempt at showing these wonderfully delicate crystals. It was not a day for hanging around at the top of Tour de Don, as there was more of a cold wind up there. Once again, the views were impressive, looking down on a sea of cloud.

Photos from the excursion are below...

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning...

View from Croix.		Frost in the shade at 1800m.		Crete route to Barbossine.

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel. There is some valley cloud again this morning, with clearer skies higher up and the air temperature in the immediate valley area is around 1.5c. There will be colder pockets of air in the area, with some frost, however, once again, the overnight temperature has not been particuarly cold.

All that is still set to change later in the week, with the arrival of some colder air and snowfall. The models all show a similar pattern for the end of the week and the weekend, with low pressure becoming dominant, however, there are enough variations between them which would make a noticeable difference to the amounts of snowfall our area will receive. From our perspective, there remains some very positive signs and i like the look of this morning's ECMWF model run, which appears to show some lengthy periods of snow from Saturday to Monday lunchtime. There is the chance of a bit of snow before then too, however, the details and timings will become clearer as these potential snow events come closer. The snowfall accumulation forecasts from the automated apps and wesbsite forecasts will continue to chop and change, so I pay little attention to those at this stage, but there remains a reasonable chance of significant snowfall accumulations by early next week. This still does not mean that is guaranteed, due to those model variations mentioned above, but I remain optmistic this morning.

The colder air arriving for the weekend should also allow the snowmaking operation to commence, which will help to create a base on some key pistes.

Thereafter, there is a suggestion from the models of milder air arriving on Tuesday or Wedesday, before temperatures dip again by Thursday. It is unclear as to whether the milder air will be associated with any precipitation, but some rain is a possibility at lower elevations for a time, before chillier air perhaps returns later in the week. However, that is a week or more away and alot could change by then.

Obviously, with snow expected this coming weekend, then it will increase the chances of some sort of opening at PLJ on the weekend of the 4th/5th December, but we are some way off knowing what those chances will be. Presumably the resort will be chomping at the bit to get open as quickly as possible, so we will be checking on progress up in that sector next week, once some snow arrives. With the pistes effectively starting from scratch, we could do with a combination of a significant weekend snowfall and intensive snowmaking to have a realsitic chance of a 4th December opening day.

If and when the first genuine snowfall arrives, then there will be multiple updates on this page during each snowfall day with reports and photos from the village and from excursions to check what is going on higher up.

Next Update:
During the day if we get photos.

Weather:

Just a quick update from this morning's post. Not too much sign of fresh snowfall higher up. The village is in cloud at the moment, though Vonnes at the top end of the village, is above the cloud and from there I could not see anything fresh.

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning.

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel. It is a cloudy start and quite foggy in the valley with air temperatures above 0c. The freezing level looks to be at around 1700m this morning and there have been some glimpses through the cloud to show there has been a dustng higher up.

There is some good news this morning - regarding events in a few days time. It is now increasingly likely that we will see snow and there is a chance of significant snowfall by early next week, with further opportunties to follow. The details are far from being resolved, with some models such as the Arpege bringing in some snow as early as from later on Thursday. Other charts commence snowfall on Friday, but at the moment, the main action looks like being at the weekend. Looking beyond the weekend and further incursions are possible, though a warm sector could bring a rise in the snow/rain boundary, before it falls again by midweek.

So, a really interesting period is probably on the way, with low pressure penetrating into Europe, coming down the eastern flanks of high pressure which will be positioned out in the Atlantic. As mentioned above, details are obviously uncertain, however, these types of scenarios do bring a chance of us being in the sweet spot in terms of snowfall.

Next Update:
During today if we get some photos.

Trail & Snow Report:

It is another lovely day here in Chatel, with some frost in shaded areas, but the sunshine is feeling pleasantly warm once again. Today's trip was a jog towards Barbossine and a slow jog up the Barbossine bowl to the summit of Morclan. I was a bit apprehensive that the shaded bowl path might be icy, but there was only patchy ice, so ascending was fine. I passed a couple of groups of hikers, but generally it was very quiet and I didn't see or hear any hunters. The views from the top of Morclan were great and can be seen below.

On the descent, I went through the areas where trees have been cleared for the new chairlift, which will replace the old Conche chair. The new chair will take a different route up. I also went past the Super Chatel snow farm where the mounds produced by the dribble of ice pellets, are now getting impressively large.

Photos from the excursion are below...

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning...

Morclan.		Bit of snow in the shade.		Linga valley - note frost in shade.

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel. It is clear again this morning with a touch frost on the ground, which is more noticeable as you head into the Linga valley. The air temperatures in the immediate vally area have dipped to -1c, however, there is again an inversion, with air temperatures above 0c at most other elevations of the ski area.

A weak front could bring some precipitation overnight, with the Arome model suggesting showery outbreaks from later in the evening and through until early tomorrow morning. With the 0c isotherm falling from 1800m down to about 1550m during that period, it does bring the possibility of a covering of snow for the ski area, especially above 1500m, but a few flakes could come close the the village early tomorrow. The Arome snow and graupel forecast chart is below.

Thereafter, it is at the end of the week and next weekend when things become more interesting again in terms of the potential for snowfall. Last nights ECMWF charts suggested there could be alot of snow on the way and this morning's updates continue that potential. That latest update does bring plenty of precipitation in next weekend, with further opportunities during the first half of the following week. Some charts suggest that there could be a bit of snow before the weekend, but the main action may begin about 6 days from now. There is also the possibility of some colder air being dragged into the area too, which would allow the snowmaking operation to begin too.

So, that is how it stands this morning... possible snow next weekend, perhaps some snow before then, perhaps significant snowfall by the end of next weekend... details to be confirmed and as this is still some way off and so it is far from being a certainty - however, there have been some positive steps forward from the charts in the last 24 hours.

Next Update:
During today if we get some photos.

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel, where there is a touch of frost this morning, with temperatures just sneaking below 0c in the immediate valley area. However, higher up, although ground temperatures are likely to be freezing in places under the clear skies, the air temps are really very mild (7c ish at 1800m).

The latest news from the models this morning, regarding the potential for useful snowfall, is that we may now need to wait until next weekend. The watering down of any potential snowfall before then has continued. There are enough differences between the models to give some hope of a surprise during the second half of the coming week, but realistically, our best chance of significant snowfall remains tantalisingly, just over a week away - which is a timescale that always makes me nervous.

Next Update:
During the day, if we get some photos.

Trail & Snow Report:

The weather is glorious today in Chatel as we have now lost the layer of cloud which had been affecting the valley for the last few days. Today's jog went down the Dranse path to La Chappelle and then up to Lac D'Arvoin, then back to Chatel via Saix. There were a few hikers, but it was generally quiet and it felt really quite warm in the sunshine.

Photos from the excursion are below...

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning...

Lac D'Arvoin.		Clear skies.		Autumn.

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel, where the skies are clearer in the valley this morning and it is colder too, down to about -2c in the immediate valley area, though it is inversion cold and air temperatures are showing as being above 0c at 1800m (5c at Avoriaz weather station).

This morning's models paint a mixed picture for the second half of next week. Before then, there remains the chance of a dusting on Sunday night or early Monday, possibly above about 1400m. Thereafter, the period from next Thursday continues to be of great interest, however, the models have been showing less favourable evolutions since yesterday morning, with our area sitting to the west of any really cold air at the end of next week and there appears to be less chance of a Greenland high developing. These twists and turns by the models are to be expected at the sorts of timeframes we are dealing with. One scenario painted this morning, is that we could miss out on Thursday / Friday, but see something significant come in for the weekend of the 27th/28th. So, the charts remain full of potential, but things could still go either way. Significant snowfall remains a possibilty from the 25th, along with colder temperatures and we would be extremely unlucky to miss out on a significant snow event before the end of this month. More on this over the weekend, as the period in question edges closer.

Next Update:
During the day, if we get some photos.

Weather:

The 6z GFS model run brings in snowfall a bit earlier next week, on Wednesday night, with more opportunities on the following days. More on this on tomorrow morning's update.

Trail & Snow Report:

It has brightened up here in Chatel this afternoon and it is wonderful to see the sunshine in the village after the valley cloud of recent days. This morning's shuffle jog ascent went up above the clouds to Tour de Don at just under 2000m. The route went from Chatel up to Petit Chatel, to the top lift station on Barbossine via the Mouet track and the crete and then along the crete from the Panoramique restaurant up to the top. The upper boundary of the cloud was at about 1650m and it was spectacular above. There was some frost at these higher elevations and shaded areas were frozen. I did not come across anyone once I had got on the trails above the village. There was a bit of snow in places above 1800m.

Photos from the excursion are below...

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning...

Just above the clouds.		Frosty crete.		On way to Tour de Don along crete.

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel, where air temperatures are just above 0c in the immediate valley area. We didn't manage to get any photos yesterday, as the layer of cloud brought an overcast day to the valley and the boundary of the cloud extended quite high up the mountain sides. The cloud is with us again this morning, extending up towards 1600m by the looks of it, so will hopefully try and get above that today!

The outlook for the coming days is for mild daytime periods and dry weather. Some charts suggest a dusting of snow above 1400m on Sunday night (eg the Arpege model), but it is later next week which continues to show considerable interest.

The charts in the last 24 hours have generally trended in the right direction and it now does look increasingly likely that there will be some sort of cold snap or cold spell, arriving next Thursday, bringing the chance of snowfall. As this is a week away, the normal caveats should apply, but if these charts are still favourable this weekend, then it will be time to start getting excited.

There is also the chance of a major winter storm for the weekend of the 27th and 28th, which is shown on the ECMWF model this morning. See the 2 charts below. IF (and it is a very big IF) that scenario arrives, then we will be in business.

There is not much more to add this morning, as we are now in a holding pattern and some patience will be required over the coming days. The charts will almost certainty chop and change, but hopefully the general pattern will be maintained.

Next Update:
During today if we get some photos.

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel, where there is again some valley cloud this morning , but skies are clearer higher up and the air is also a bit colder up there at the moment, in comparison with previous mornings.

The weather is expected to stay mostly dry over the coming days, with temperatures becoming rather mild at times during the daytime periods, especially on sunnier, south facing slopes.

The models this morning are fascinating.

The GFS operational model run, which powers many of the automated apps and websites is a shocker in terms of the potential for snow, as it has the pattern we have described over the last day or two, too far east, continuing a mild and snowless theme out to the 27th of this month.

The ECMWF model operational model run has shifted the pattern eastwards in comparison to yesterday morning and brings in colder weather, with the chance of some snowfall for the second half of next week. The charts from both models at 192hrs can be seen below with the differences fairly obvious. So, the message this morning is not to panic if you wake up and look at your GFS powered snow forecasting app - but - also not to get too excited if your ECMWF based forecast suggests snow, as we are some way off knowing how this pattern will develop. Points to note are that within the GFS model suite, the operational run was a mild outlier, however, that doesn't mean it won't be correct, but, with the ECMWF model also trending in the opposite direction, then there is some room for a bit more optimism. Expect plenty of twists and turns over the coming days, however, my eyes continue to look towards the north for the start of winter.

Next Update:
Later today with some photos.

Weather:

The 6z GFS model run continues the mostly snowless theme for the next 10 days, with the pattern not working out for us at the moment. Interestingly, a large Greenland high is being modelled for next week, which often brings very cold weather to NW Europe and which could bring substantial benefits to this area. However, at the moment the modelling of this scenario keeps everything too far west for this part of the Alps to benefit and we get stuck in a bit of a no-mans land of snowlessness (if such a word exists!). There is a suspicion (or a hope on my part at least) that this pattern could adjust and develop favourably for the Alps, with a northerly blast from the Arctic at some point. That is what we will be looking for - as the normal track of Atlantic weather coming in from the west appears to blocked for the foreseeable future - so our eyes are looking to the north.

Trail & Snow Report:

It is another lovely day here in Chatel, once you get above the valley cloud, which keeps ebbing and flowing. Today's trail run went up to Mouet and continued up the track to Chetillon and then up onto the small summit. There was a bit of snow on the ground up at the top, with evidence of a bit of a drifting from the previous snowfalls. There was a bit more snow on the north face of the summit, which faces Braitaz.

The glorious weather had brought the hikers put today and I passed a couple of groups of these, but apart from them, it was really quiet up there.

Photos below all from the summit between the cols of Chetillon and Recon. Note the snow cannon blobs in the far distance across the Rhone valley in the 4th photo.

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning...

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel, where air temperatures are again above 0c across the ski area and there is again some valley cloud, with brighter skis not too far away above the village.

The charts continue to tease us and have overnight extinguished the chances of snow arriving next Sunday / Sunday night. The trend began during yesterday evening's model updates and continues this morning, which does mean it now looks mostly dry again for the next 7 days. It could get a bit chillier at times, so perhaps some snowmaking may take place next week. The GFS model operational run this morning is dry out to 10 days and this morning's ECMWF model has also backtracked from its scenario showing the potential for a potent northerly incursion later next week.

So, disappointing news this morning in terms of the potential for the arrival of useful amounts of snowfall, however, there could be (and probably will be), further twists and turns in the outlook in coming days. It should also be noted that the weather pattern appears to be trending to something fairly unusual, which could open the flood gates of something really quite cold into Europe by the end of the month and into early December.

Next Update:
Probably during today with some photos.

Trail:

Mme Snow Report was on the trails today and here are her photos from a trip up to Mouet this morning, which sits at just under 1800m.

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning with an update on how that possible colder weather is shaping up...

Mouet.		Sea Of Clouds in the valley.		Towards Mont de Grange.

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel, where there is some valley cloud this morning and air temperatures are above 0c. Higher up, the weather is brighter as the layer of valley cloud not too thick.

The news this morning is that the charts continue to show colder air arriving in less than a week's time, with the potential for some sort of northerly or northwesterly incursion arriving next Sunday, possibly bringing in some snowfall. The charts below from www.meteociel.fr for the early hours of next Sunday, shows the scenario which could develop, with high pressure centred somewhere to the west of Britain, opening the gates for a colder snap to arrive from the north. What we don't yet know is how potent any potential cold snap would be, how snowy it might be and whether this will actually kick start the winter. Some charts yesterday evening, especially from the ECMWF model, showed deep cold and heavy snowfall arriving in 9 or 10 days time, so there is a chance that the pattern below could reload in a more potent form a few days later, which really would be very nice. Unfortuantely, there is also the possibility that this pattern will be nudged eastwards, resulting in any colder air missing our region completely, which would be horrible!!!

From a positive viewpoint, the fact that these charts are now cropping up within the 7 day timeframe does suggest we have more of a chance of seeing something useful arrive, but at the moment I'd suggest the chance of useful amounts of snow and cold next Sunday/Monday is at about 50%.

Next Update:
Later today with some photos.

Weather:

This morning's charts have a bit more interest again! Both the ECMWF and GFS operational chart have high pressure ridging to the west of Britain next weekend, with the result being the possibility of an incursion into the Alps from the north or northwest. Although there have been charts toying around with this sort of scenario over the last few days, the fact that both major model suites now show some sort of colder incursion around the 21st, does bring a higher chance of it actually verifying. However, it is still some way off and the position of the high close to, or to the west of Britain, will be key to determining how potent any incursion is. This scenario is now definitely in the "one to watch" category and if it is still there in the charts in a couple of days, then we could see something useful develop.

Trail:

Yesterday's excursion headed up to Super Chatel via the Barbsossine area and sentier du Morclan. The object of the exercise was to test out some super long poles to see how suitable they are for trail and mountain running. I sometimes use poles in racing, but less so this year. The poles used yesterday were nordic ski skating poles and a whopping 150cm in length (normal trail poles for my height would be 130cm). Initial results were promising.

There were a few groups of hikers and also one of the tracks was closed due to forestry work. The tree felling appears to be related to the installation of a new lift, which will replace the Conche chairlift which runs up through Super Chatel and is potentially going to be ready for the 2022/23 season.

Next Update:
Later if we get ome more photos, otherwise tomorrow morning.

Snow farm mound.		TS Morclan.		Towards snow park and Corbeau.

Weather & Snow Report:

The overnight showers have brought some fresh snow for the upper half of the ski area, with some whitening visible down to around 1400m. Photo below from a few minutes ago.

Next Update:
This morning, with a look at the outlook.

Fresh snow cover higher up.

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel, where the lovely weather of the last few days has been replaced by cloudier skies and some showery outbreaks are expected today and overnight. The snow line is expected to move down tonight, but we are not expecting much in the way of fresh snowfall.

Here are the 0c isotherm forecasts today from the Arome model...

[NOTE: A rough calculation for the snow/rain boundary can be made by subtracting 300m from the above values - though note that other factors can sometimes make this wildly inaccurate. Note also, that under clear skies, it can be freezing on the ground at all elevations.]

Below are a couple of this morning's Arome model's snow accumulation charts from www.meteociel.fr ... showing the potential for just a little bit of snow.

Extended Outlook:
Very briefly - this is uninspiring this morning. The GFS model suite pretty much rules out the chance of significant snowfall in the next 10 days. The ECMWF model has the potential for an incursion on or around the 21st of this month. More on this tomorrow.

Next Update:
Later if we get dome photos, otherwise tomorrow, when there'll be a look at that extended outlook.

Trail & Snow Report:

The sun is shining here in Chatel, with a warm feel, though we came across some frost in shaded areas at Linga on today's excursion. Photos below - and there was evidence of a tiny bit of snow making from earlier in the week at Linga.

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Towards Chtel.		View from top of the Stade.		Bit of man made snow on the Stade.

Weather:

Bojour from Chatel on another fine morning. Air temperatures remained mostly above 0c in the village and immediate valley area overnight, though there was a touch of grass frost here and there. Temperatures higher up are again relatively mild again.

There is the chance of some showers during the period from tomorrow afternoon through to Sunday lunchtime, which could bring a further dusting or two to the upper half of the ski area, however, as mentioned yesterday, the result of the cloudier weekend skies may end up being a net loss of existing cover, apart from areas up closer to 2000m. Thereafter, this morning's models continue to frustrate the hunt for significant snowfall. The potential glancing blow scenario for the middle of next week is unlikely to deliver much or anything at all, so the next period of opportunity is probably about 10 days away. There remains a chance that something could develop before then, as the computer models can, and do flip flop for anything beyond about 5 to 7 days, but we shall just have to wait and see. There is still plenty of time before the PLJ opening weekend of 4th/5th December for us to see significant snowfall, so there is nothing unusual about the current situation.

Next Update:
Later if we get some photos, otherwise it will be tomorrow morning.

Trail & Snow Report:

After a 10 day break from trail running - an off season rest - today I headed up to the slope above Mouet on a lovely, mild morning. It felt pleasantly warm in the weak sunshine and the snow has effectively gone from anything south facing under about 2000m. Shaded areas retain a bit of cover. Mme Snow Report headed into the Swiss sector and above the Rhone Valley sea of clouds. As it is the remembrance bank holiday here in France, there were a few people hiking on the trails today.

Photos from both excursions are below.

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Snow shoe sign waiting for snow.		Mont de Grange from above Mouet.		Mont Blanc in the distance.

Weather:

Bonjour from Chatel, where it is noticeably milder this morning, with air temperatures in the village and valley mostly above 0c and up at 1800m it is between 8c and 9c. The result is the snow line is slowly retreating upwards and the existing snow cover is thinning, as can be seen on the photos below. The 0c isotherm is set to be well above 3000m today and also for tomorrow.

Cooler conditions are expected at the weekend, with the chance of some showery outbreaks, which could bring a dusting to the upper half of the ski area, but there is nothing to get excited about and the result may be a further net loss of snow cover by Monday.

Looking further ahead, and the ECMWF model run this morning almost returns to its wintry blast theme arriving towards the end of next week - so there is some interest there, IF the charts improve on that trend. At the moment, the ECMWF scenario is for a glancing blow of colder air with perhaps a bit of snow - but the important point is that at least this date is now of interest again. Thereafter, there could be another bite of the cherry, with a potential incursion incoming from the north or northwest at or beyond the weekend of 20th/21st. One to watch, but it is too early for any confidence in what is going to happen in the 7 to 10 day time frame.

Next Update:
Probably later today.

Snow line retreating.		Towards Linga telecabine top station.

Weather:

Bonjour, it is another fine start to the day here in Chatel, with a touch of grass frost. There is a marked temperature inversion this morning, with mild air aloft and up at 1800m, temperatures are currently above 7c, whereas in the Abondance valley they are closer to freezing. The 0c isotherm is expected to rise to between 3200m and 3300m today.

The potential weekend low, appears to be still there this morning, but it is an insignificant feature by the looks of it , but it may bring a bit of snow for the upper half of the ski area on Saturday or Saturday night, with variations in the timings depending on which model you look at. It also won't be feeding in any particualry chilly air, as was looking possible a few days ago. The end result may actually be a net loss of snow below 2000m on the north facing slopes, due to a period of cloudier skies.

So, we continue to scan the horizon for the chance of significant snowfall and this morning's models appear to have backtracked away from the 18th to 20th November scenario of winter arriving. In some ways this is not surprising, as it was always a very long way off in forecasting terms and there is a reasonable chance that the models may return to a similar theme on subsequent runs... we shall see!

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning, unless we get some photos during the day.

Weather:

Bonjour, a brief update as time is short this morning... as discussed yesterday, dry weather is set to continue through the rest of the week, with the 0c isotherm really quite high at times, with some overnight frost. The scenario of the potential diving low at the weekend has been watered down by some charts, with others still suggesting the possibility of a bit of snow - so the jury is out on this one, as the GFS charts this morning suggest a continuation of the dry and mild daytime theme, whereas the ECMWF does have some precipitation from a low over the weekend - so I'll reserve judgement this morning on that one - and take another look tomorrow!

Thereafter, the main area of interest at the moment, remains the period from about the 18th Of November, with some charts suggesting the arrival of winter in terms of snowfall and cold temperatures. That is still a long way off, in fact it is too far away to have much in the way of confidence, however, the charts keep showing interesting scenarios around that time, so perhaps something is brewing.

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning, unless we get some photos during the day (depending on work).

Trail Run:

Madame Snow Report was out and about this morning on a hike and trail run and got these photos from Super Chatel, on what is another stunning day here in Chatel. The snow farm was chucking out its ice pellets, but at the moment, atmospheric conditions are mostly unsuitable for widespread snowmaking in this sector.

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Clear skies.		Super Chatel snow farm.		Beautiful weather.

Weather:

Bonjour, it is another frosty start to the morning here in Chatel, but it should feel mild again in the sunshine during the day.

Mild and dry daytime weather, with overnight temperature inversions, bringng a valley frost and a re-freeze of the covering of snow on north facing slopes, is expected throughout the coming week. The 0c isotherm is expected to rise to between 3000m and 3500m at times over the next few days, however, the snow on those shaded upper slopes should be fairly resilient if the skies stay clear.

So, when are we going to see some more snow?

Well, there has been a bit of an interesting development in the last 24 hours with the models this morning appearing to firm up on a potentialy promising weekend scenario. An Atlantic ridge of high pressure may be in place just to the west of Britain by the weekend and this may allow a low to dive down on the eastern flank of the ridge and head into Europe. This could bring a bit of snow to this area, but it looks as though it would also drag in some much colder air. This is important, as it would potentially bring some conditions which could allow snow making to get going across the area. Both the GFS and ECMWF models are showing this scenario on their latest model runs this morning, however, with the Met Office model less keen, and also the fact that this is some days off, we do need to strike a note of caution, as the models could back pedal. However, there is also now a chance too, that the scenario could improve, if that potential diving low is shown to be a bit more potent and relevant to our immediate area. Therafter, whatever happens on Sunday, much or all of next week looks like being dominated by high pressure, so dry conditions and that 0c isotherm will be creeping back up again after a potentially cold start to the week.

Summary: Mild daytimes, dry and mostly sunny this week. Window of opportunity for some colder temps and a bit of snow on Sunday and early next week. Dry and sunny thereafter, with the next opportunity for snow perhaps around the 18th - 20th November. Some extended charts suggest the potential for significant snowfall by the 20th.

More will be posted on all of this tomorrow.

Below are the GFS 0c isotherm charts for Sunday and eary next week from www.meteociel.fr showing the colder plunge of air.

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning, unless we get some photos during the day (depending on work).

Next Update:

Unfortunately there is no update today - there should be a brief one early tomorrow looking at the extended outlook charts and the date of the next potential snowfall, but excursions may be postponed for a day or two more...

Weather:

Time is short today, so a brief update on a cold and frosty morning here in Chatel, with temperatures falling a touch below -4c in the village and immediate valley areas. As mentioned yesterday, the next week is expected to be dry and this dry spell could extend out longer. However, yesterday evening, the models began churning out some much more interesting scenarios, with the GFS model showing a really very wintry scenario arriving to NW Europe and the Alps in about 12 days time. The ECMWF charts also hinted at a potentially more favourable pattern arriving before then, so, although these models are not as wintry looking on their latest output this morning, the background signals remain, which means there is cause for a little bit of optimism down the line. It will be fascinating to see how the charts develop over the coming days - and we'll keep you posted.

Next Update:
Later if we get some more photos - otherwise tomorrow.

Weather:

The skies are clear this morning here in Chatel, with a frost on the ground in the village and valley and snowy peaks all around. Local weather stations report that temperatures are currently around -6c at 2200m, around -4c at 1800m and -1c at 1000m to 1200m. So, it is chilly, but not particularly so. The recent snowfall has brought the first decent covering to the upper half of the ski area and it will be interesting to watch how much of this survives the next 10 days, as there is no prospect of further snowfall in the outlook at present. The latest model runs suggest a high pressure dominated scenario for the next 10 days, nothing super mild, but nothing particularly cold, with any hints of a change reserved for the period beyond mid-month. Is that a concern for the early part of the season? No - not at the moment as it is still really early days in terms of the snow season - but it is of course something we'll be keeping a close eye on as the month progresses. An ideal scenario would be for a period of snowfall during the second half of the month, preferably in the last third, along with some colder temperatures to allow snow making to really get underway and create the base for the season. Fingers crossed that we see such scenario appear in the extended outlook charts...

Photos below taken a few minutes ago.

Next Update:
Later if we get some more photos - otherwise tomorrow.

Snow line on Linga.		Towards top of Linga telecabine.		Snowy summits.

Snow Report:

An excursion this morning by Mme Snow Report brought these photos back from Super Chatel. The dusting in the village has mostly melted now and the morning snow flurries did not add to the accumulations.

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning.

Super Chatel		Lac de Conche		Drag lift waiting for some action.

Snow Report:

A few flakes of snow have been drifting down gently here in Chatel in the last few minutes, but the skies are clearing at times to bring some rather nice views.

Weather:

Although a few flurries are possible today, we are not expecting any further accumulations of snow for some time, with the outlook looking like being a dry one, with some overnight frost and pleasant daytimes. More on when we may next see some snow in tomorrow morning's update.

Snowfall Measurements:

The page where we post info on snowfalls is now being updated again and can be found by: clicking here

For this season, the more detailed updates as last seen in 17/18 season will be used for our location - which is just under 1200m.

We measure snowfalls as they progress, with multiple updates during heavier snowfalls.

How You Can Help This Season:

Each year we have a large number of supporters who send the site a tip to cover some of the time and other expenses of running a site like this. Last year, this enabled the purchase of a 360 camera, which will hopefully come into its own when we can start sliding on the mountains again. We have been testing it during the summer months and it does have some remarkable tracking features when skiing or boarding with others. More info on how you can send a tip will be posted later in the month, however, in the mean time, if you see an advert on this page which has some interest, a click on it is another way of helping the site.

Next Update:
Probably later today if we get ome more photos - if not, tomorrow morning.

Towards to of TS L'Echo Alpin		Still some leaves on the trees.		First dusting at the Chaumiere.

Snow Report:

Bonjour from Chatel, where we have the first snow of the season down here in the village..

It is only a dusting, but it is a welcome sight.

Next Update:
This morning.

7am view.

Snow Report:

The snow petered out in the village after lunch, without really settling, though areas closer to around 1300m did receive a light, wet dusting. Below is the latest view, showing the snow line...

Next Update:
Probably tomorrow morning, unless any surprises spring up during this afternoon and evening.

View from the village at 2.45pm

Snow Report:

Here are a few photos from Mme. Snow Report's trip up above the village this morning, as the snow started to fall...

Next Update:
Probably later today.

Barbossine halfway station.		Autumn colours and snowfall.		A taste of winter.

Weather:

Fat flakes of snow are now falling in the village, which is the first time we have witnessed snow at this elevation this season.

Next Update:
Early afternoon.

Weather:

Bonjour, rain has started falling in the village this morning and snow is visible on the ground above about 1500m and snow appears to be falling above about 1350m. There looks like being a persistent spell of precipitation for a few hours this morning, with the snow/rain boundary coming down to close to the village elevation, so there is a chance of us seeing some flakes here in the village. There may be further showery outbreaks this afternoon and evening. Updates will be posted if that snow arrives down here for the first time this season.

Here are the 0c isotherm forecasts today from the Arome model...

Today:

10am: 1716m

Midday: 1617m

2pm: 1622m

6pm: 1632m

Then hovering around the village overnight.

[NOTE: A rough calculation for the snow/rain boundary can be made by subtracting 300m from the above values - though note that other factors can sometimes make this wildly inaccurate. Note also, that under clear skies, it can be freezing on the ground at all elevations.]

This morning's charts from www.meteociel.fr are the snow accumulation forecast for today from the hi-res Arome model, followed by its new snow and graupel accumulation chart, with the third chart being Arpege's view of today's snowfalls. Graupel is the pellety, soft hail type precipitation we often see, sometimes resembling polystyrene balls and this does make a difference to accumulations, so the new charts from Arome are an interesting addition for this season.

Next Update:
During the day if the snow arrives to the village.

Weather:

It has been another wet start to the day here in Chatel, however, the snow line has eased down the mountain, with some whiteness visible down to roughly 1400m - however, I didn't spot any snowflakes falling in the village and it is now drier and brighter. Although one or two further showers are possible today / tonight, it looks as though the next chance of snowfall is tomorrow morning, when the snow may edge closer to the village. Photos from a short while ago...

Linga.		A lower snow line.		Pointe du Midi.

Here are the 0c isotherm forecasts today from the Arome model...

Today:

10am: 1611m

Midday: 1711m

4pm: 1773m

Tomorrow:

9am: 1648m

midday: 1531m

2pm 1599m

[NOTE: A rough calculation for the snow/rain boundary can be made by subtracting 300m from the above values - though note that other factors can sometimes make this wildly inaccurate. Note also, that under clear skies, it can be freezing on the ground at all elevations.]

Below are some charts showing the potential for snowfall from www.meteociel.fr

This morning we have again posted some charts to show the comparison between the high res Arome model view of snowfall up to later tomorrow and the Arpege model (see info on yesterday's update).

One interesting point this season is that Meteociel now also have a snow and graupel accumulation chart for the Arome model, however, for now, we are still using the snowfall chart - but we will be evaluating the new ones as soon as we start seeing some measurable snowfalls. An initial look at the combined snow/graupel chart appears to add a few cm's of accumulation to the standard chart.

Next Update:
Probably later today, if not - then tomorrow.

Snow Report:

It has been a bit of a miserable day in the village, with rain on and off for much of the time. Much higher up, there has been a covering of snow... photo below taken a few minutes ago.

Next update - tomorrow morning.

Trail Report:

Before we get onto the weather, on what is a very wet start to the week here in Chatel, yesterday I took advantage of the amazing autumn weather to get back out onto the trails above the village. The route went up to Mouet and ended up above Recon via the Col de Braitaz. The sun was warm and the views were as wonderful as always. Despite being half term, it was pretty quiet on the route which I took.

Photos and Strava route map below...

Weather:

It is currently raining in the village and this may now be falling as snow right at the very top of the ski area. The precipitation is expected to peter out this afternoon. Further spells of precipitation are likely over the coming days and the snow/rain boundary should lower at times. The latest 0c isotherm forecast from the Arome model is as follows...

Today:

10am: 1970m

Midday: 1879m

4pm: 2002m

8pm: 1853m

Tomorrow:

6am: 1550m

10am: 1656m

2pm 1751m

A rough calculation for the snow/rain boundary can be made by subtracting 300m from the above values - though note that other factors can sometimes make this wildly inaccurate. Note also, that under clear skies, it can be freezing on the ground at all elevations.

Below are some charts showing the potential for snowfall from www.meteociel.fr

The first chart is the high res Arome model view of snowfall up to later tomorrow. The second one is the Arpege model's view of the same time period and the third is the Arpege forecast up to Friday. It is interesting to note that the Arome model's higher resolution means it can deal with topography better than Arpege, but the important point is that Arome is also showing accumulations. Whether we see the totals shown on the third chart by the end of the week is open to question - but there remains a chance that we will see some useful accumulations for the upper half of the ski area. Anything lower settling lower down is likely to be transient, especially as the extended outlook charts look milder next week.

Next Update:
Tomorrow (unless we can see some snowy peaks this afternoon - in which case will update later today).

Weather:

As discussed on yesterday's update, chillier weather is on the way to the area, after a fairly mild weekend. Although there have been some showers overnight, it is currently brighter and the start of the more significant precipitation is expected to arrive after midnight tonight. Initially, the snow / rain boundary is set to be above the ski area, but this is expected to ease down to approximately 1900m by tomorrow morning. Showery outbreaks during Monday may see the boundary fall a couple of hundred meters lower. There may be further precipitation between tomorrow night and Tuesday evening, with the snow/rain boundary remaining in the upper half of the ski area (mostly). Things then start to get a bit more interesting on Wednesday and Thursday, as, although the significance and timings of any precipitation are very uncertain by then, the snowline should be closer to the village, bringing our best chance of a covering in the valley for the first time this season - though it may well end up being a very marginal situation for 1100m/1200m.

As usual, we will get a much better idea of snowfall amounts and the height of the snow/rain boundary, once the various spells of precipitation come into the range of the highest range models. So far, the highest res model, Arome, suggests the following 0c isotherm for tonight and tomorrow.

4am: 2808m

6am: 2440m

10am: 2069m

2pm: 1998m

6pm: 1943m

A rough calculation for the snow/rain boundary can be made by subtracting 300m from the above values - though note that other factors can sometimes make this wildly inaccurate. However, in this case, it looks like we should see snowfall on the upper half of the ski area.

Below are the latest Arpege charts from www.meteociel.fr for snowfall, showing that potential for snowfall, but again, with this model it is important to emphasise its broad brush approach to topography, so do not take it too seriously - but it shows the potentail for some useful accumulations higher up by Thursday.

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Weather:

The skies are cloudier this morning, after days of beautiful sunshine and the latest charts confirm that a change in the weather is on the way. The weekend looks rather mild, with the 0c isotherm close to, or above 3000m and there could be some foehn influences in the area for a time. A cold front is then expected to bring some rain on Sunday night and some cooler air for Monday, with the 0c isotherm fluctuating between 2000m and 1700m for the period from Monday to Wednesday - so, if there is some precipitation in the area, then snow could fall to mid-mountain on the ski area. Slightly colder air looks like arriving thereafter, with the snowline potentially coming down closer to the village for a time. Pinpointing the timing of any village snowfall is not yet possible - but - it is now looking like having a reasonable chance of happening. At the moment, any colder air later next week does not look like hanging around for too long, so for lower elevations, we are not yet at the point of being able to say that winter is on the way, rather, we may just see a brief taste of winter. For higher elevations, especially on north aspect slopes, there is a better chance of any snowfall hanging around on the ground, ready for the arrival of winter proper.

Below is the Arpege chart from www.meteociel.fr for snowfall up to Wednesday morning, which should be taken with a large pinch of salt for lower elevations, but it does indicate there could be some snow higher up by then. Updates will be posted daily as the situation develops...

Looking Further Ahead:

The question of how snowy a ski season will be comes up every year at about this time and it is a question which will be addressed on these updates in the next week. There are various indicators which can have some bearing on the overall winter weather pattern, but it is often almost impossible to say which indicator will have the most influence. As it stands currently, the view from here is that there is plenty to be optimistic about regarding the forthcoming season, in terms of snowfall.

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Weather:

The weather has been glorious across the area over the last week and today has also clear and chilly. However, the weather pattern is set to change, with Atlantic low pressure expected to have more influence, with fronts affecting the area next week. Winds are set to increase over the weekend, but there is not expected to be much in the way of precipiation and there could be some local foehn effect. At the moment, it looks as though the chance of any snowfall down at village elevation may be on Wednesday, though higher areas could see snowfall on Monday. We'll post some charts tomorrow and hopefully we'll have some snowy scenes to post in a few days time!

Next Update:
Saturday morning.

Weather:

We are back in Chatel after a few days away and there is snow showing in the outlook. An update tomorrow will look at the possibilities of a potential covering for the village next week...

Next Update:
Friday

Weather:

We are currently away from Chatel for a few days, so updates have been paused until later in the week. Hopefully there will be some snow in the outlook charts by then...

Next Update:
Later in the week

Weather:

It is a dry start to the day here in Chatel, with some cloud knocking about and air temperatures are currently between 2c and 3c. There remains no sign of significant snowfall in the extended outlook models, which in practical terms means that the rest of this month will be snowless for the ski area. At some point, we expect to see the models picking up on a favourable weather pattern, but in the meantime, there looks like being plenty of dry weather - with some mild daytime temperatures.

Opening Weekend Dates:

Chatel has confirmed that the PLJ (Pre La Joux) area will open for the weekend of the 4th/5th December, if snow conditions allow. The following weekend will see PLJ and Linga open, with the full, daily opening of all the ski area projected to be from the 18th December.

Next Update:
Later today if we get some photos.

Weather:

There has been some windy and wet weather here in Chatel early this morning, but it is very mild at about 11c! This follows a spell of foehn wind overnight, when local temperatures reached an incredible 18c in the early hours. That is the sort of foehn event that can cause havoc in the winter, so it is not something we wish to see during the snow season. Although temperatures will be a little cooler over the coming days, there is very little prospect of any snowfall, with the high resolution models this morning suggesting just a dusting for the highest parts of our ski area by tomorrow. The outlook is a reasonably mild one, with snowfall not expected on the ski area in the next 7 days, which could extend out to 10 days. This is not unusual, but come the start of November, we'll be hoping to see the first real signs of winter showing in the extended outlook charts.

Trail Update:

Wednesday was another lovely day and it became warm again in the afternoon (18c) and a loop around Mont de Grange had been scheduled. The planned route was to head down the Dranse path to Abondance, head up the road to Lac Des Plagnes and then across to Bassachaux, via Lens and trundle back to Chatel. Unfortunately the track after Lac des Plagnes was closed due to tree felling work, so it ended up being a less satisfactory out and back. Photos below and the autumn colours are now getting spectacular!

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Weather:

Although yesterday saw more in the way of cloud in the morning, the afternoon was glorious and warm and this morning has dawned clear. Photos below from yesterday.

This morning's charts have lessened the chance of some snowfall arriving by Friday, with perhaps a dusting possible, but we will know more when Friday comes into the range of the highest resolution models - on tomorrow morning's update. Thereafter, there appears to be little chance of any meaningful snowfall before the end of the month. Some charts have suggested a colder start to November, but that is far from certain. We will continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis.

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Weather:
A very brief look ahead to later in the week - and there are some suggestions that we could see a covering of snow down to reasonabaly low elevations. The Arpege model is showing the chance of some snow down to about 1400m/1500 in the early hours of Friday, so we could wake to a wintry scene on Friday morning.

Below is the Arpege accumulation chart from www.meteociel.fr - it does take a bit of a broad brush approach to accumulations, so don't pay too much attention to the detail. Once any snow event comes into the range of the highest resolution models, we should have a better idea of the potential snowline and accumulation amounts.

Next Update:
Later today if we get some photos, if not, it will be tomorrow.

Weather:

It is another gloriously clear start to the day here in chatel, after a weekend of beautiful autumnal weather.

The latest charts so far this morning do not look too inspiring in terms of the potential for significant snowfall later this week, but there should be some sort of cool down, with perhaps a bit of snow for the upper half of the ski area. More on this on subsequent updates as time is short this morning.

The photo below is from our 360 camera, taken during an excursion up onto the cretes yesterday afternoon. The camera will be really useful during the ski season!

Next Update:
Later today or Tuesday

Weather:

The weather is glorious again this morning in Chatel, with another touch of frost, but it should feel pleasantly warm again in today's sunshine. This morning's models are still showing a chillier incursion arriving towards the end of the coming week, which could bring some snowfall down to elevations close to the village for a time. There are variations between the models regarding the potential depth of cold and amounts of precipitation, but it does look as though some sort of colder snap is looking increasingly likely. More on this on subsequent updates, but before then, the fine autumnal weather is expected to continue during the first half of the coming week.

Excursion / Trail Run:

Yesterday was another beautiful autumnal day here in the mountains, with a warm feel in the sunshine and chillier air was maintained in the shade after the overnight frost. It was a great day to be out and about and a leisurely jog started in Chatel and headed up onto the Route de Petit Chatel, then across to the lake via the upper Boude. From Vonnes, the route went towards Linga, across the top of the Stade via the TS Gabelou and then to PLJ and onto the path above the magic carpet up to Bassachaux. I then took the back route from Bassachaux round to the top of the TS Rochassons, and then down the piste onto the Rennes piste and into Plaine Dranse. From there, a jog down the top of the Belette was followed by the more direct lower half route down the Rochasson piste to PLJ. Finally, the dechetterie path was used to get back to Linga, and the jog finished in Chatel via the Marmottons road and the incline up into the village. Stava map and profile below.

Highlights included the clear skies and autumnal colours - which are really beginning to come through - and the view down to Montriond from Bassachaux was a special one. It was also nice to come across a bit of snow in the shade directly under the top of the TS Rochassons top station and there was visible snow in the shade on the Chesery. It was quiet on the trails and an added bonus was that there was no sign of the chasse - though I did wear a bright t-shirt and trainers just in case.

Next Update:
Monday

Weather / Trail Run:
Today's excursion was a fairly long one and ended up at Bassachaux and Rochassons. Report update and photos will be online either tonight or early tomorrow morning...

Next Update:
Tonight or early Sunday

Weather / Trail Run:
A jog up to the crete between Mouet and Recon this morning, resulted in the views below...

Next Update:
Probably tomorrow.

Weather:
Air temperatures have dipped below 0c overnight here in Chatel, with a frost visible on the grass, but that does mean the skies are crystal clear again, which has been a feature of the weather over the last few days - chilly nights and lovely days. High pressure is set to continue to dominate the local weather over the weekend, with any change appearing to be a gradul one arriving during the second half of next week. Some charts over the last 24 hours have suggested a colder interlude for the end of next week, with some snowfall perhaps coming down as low as the village, but, obviously that is a week away, so it is a bit too early to get excited and some of the latest charts are not as chilly - but this will be monitored over the weekend.

Next Update:
Later - if we get some photos - if not - the weekend.

Weather:
Time has been short today - so a later update than planned with some photos from early this morning in the frost and one from later this afternoon. The big news today is that the Tour de France will definitely be coming to Chatel next summer, with a stage from Aigle to Chatel scheduled for the 10th July 2022. More on this in the coming days...

Next Update:
Probably tomorrow.

Weather:
There has been some wet weather overnight here in Chatel and there has been a dusting of snow higher up on the ski area, which is just visible from time to time, when the cloud breaks.

It's 4.5c at the moment in the village.

Next Update:
Probably tomorrow.

Weather:
The weather has been pretty good again today and so we took advantage of it and headed up to Pointe des Mattes, which is at just over 2000m. The route took us from Chatel, down to the tennis courts and up the Dranse path towards Linga and then to Boudimes and Quebales and up to Mattes. The descent took us down the steep path to Trebentaz. Fortunately there was no ice on this section, which would have made it a no go. After Trebentaz we descended to the Dranse via Les Crottes and took the path to Chatel.

The views along the route and at the top were all pretty good!

Photos below from the excursion and note the freezing temperatures in the shade resulting in some solid ice.

Wildlife spotted today included chamois, a fox and a couple of eagles.

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Weather:
It's a chilly and clear start to the day here in Chatel and temperatures in the valley have dipped to -1.5c, bringing a touch of frost. There remains no propsect for significant snowfall in the next few days, but this is not unusual for this stage of the autumn and it will be November when we'll be wanting to see some snowy charts - anything before then can be seen as a bonus and October snowfall on our ski area tends to be transient. There is the chance of a hint of a dusting overnight tonight, for some of the highest peaks, as shown below on the Arome chart from www.meteociel.fr.

Next Update:
Later today if we get some photos, if not, it will be tomorrow.

Weather:
There was a touch of frost in the village overnight, so it was a chilly start to the morning, however, it is a glorious day here in Chatel and the sunshine is warming things up nicely.

Photo below from a jog up to an around the lake at Vonnes this morning.

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Weather:
Not much to add today... just a couple of photos taken in the village on a glorious Sunday morning.

Next Update:
Tomorrow afternoon.

General:
There have been rumours in recent weeks that a stage of the Tour de France will finish in Chatel in summer 2022. The official announcement of the route is on Thursday, 14th October, but one newspaper has suggested that on the 10th July 2022, a stage will come up from Aigle and end in Chatel. That would be followed by a rest day in Morzine on the 11th and then there would be a stage from Morzine to Megeve on the 12th. If correct, this will be a notable event for the village and the area. We will know more on Thursday.

Weather:
It is a clear and chilly start to the day in Chatel. Apart from a possible brief cool down for the middle of next week, the weather outlook continues to look unexciting in terms of the potential for early snowfalls, with no significant snowfall expected in the area in the next 10 days.

Next Update:
Later today - if we get some photos.

Weather / Excursion:
The cloud which was hanging around between about 1200m and 1500m, has lifted and broken up at times to allow through some sunny periods. Above the clouds, it was a spectacular morning and today's excursion went up to Barbossine and Tour de Don. It was pleasantly warm in the sunshine up there, but there was some frost in the shade on the crete path between Croix and Barbossine summit. Again it was pretty quiet up there, though there one or two other trail runners out and about and there was no sign of hunting activity - which is something to keep a close eye on at this time of year.

Next Update:
Sunday.

Weather:
There is some valley fog this morning, however, a glance at the webcams higher up on the mountain, confirms that the skies are clear above this low level cloud (see links to the local webcams in the menu above).

This morning's models continue the theme of the chance of a shortlived, chillier interlude around the middle of next week, with high pressure generally dominating thereafter - so there is nothing in terms of any early significant snowfall on the agenda just yet.

Next Update:
Later today if we get some photos from higher up.

Weather:
It is a beautiful day here in Chatel, after a cold start in the valley.

Trail Run:
Today's excursion didn't go as high as originally planned (maybe tomorrow for that), but it is a glorious day and there were some lovely views. The route went down to the tennis courts, up onto the Dranse path and along to Linga, then up to towards Boudimes, down to tres les Pierres and then up and around via the top path which cuts across the top of the Stade piste and back home via Vonnes and the village. There has been some further drainage work on the Stade and some successful reseeding of grass on the slope, after the major snow cannon upgrade from 12 months ago. The new cannon proved their worth last season, producing a resilient base on Linga, which enabled the ski clubs to train late into the season. Photos below, include one of those new, very effective snow cannon.

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Weather:
Any potential cold weather next week has been watered down by the latest model runs and the outlook is looking like being a generally pleasant, autumnal one, with high pressure in the ascendancy for much of the time. Below are the GFS charts for the forecast 0c isotherm level (from www.meteociel.fr), showing colder air not too far away to the northeast on Wednesday, but before then, and after then, there will be some pretty mild air knocking about at times. Some charts do show that colder air moving a bit further into our area, so there does remain a chance of a short-lived, chillier incursion, but the general theme is a fairly benign one - and there should be some pleasant daytime periods, with chillier nights and early mornings.

Next Update:
Later - if we get some photos.

Weather:
Following on from the update which was posted earlier today, the latest GFS run is not looking very interested in anything particularly cold next week, in fact, it is showing a potentially really quite pleasant week. More info on this will be posted on tomorrow morning's update, when hopefully there will be some consensus on the way things are heading.

Trail Run:
Feeling a bit more normal in the last 24 hours - after a bit of man flu over the last week, so a jog up to Mouet was undertaken late this morning. There is plenty of road re-surfacing going on at the moment, but I managed to sneak along Roitet and up the Taude before that part of Roitet was closed off. There is still some snow visible higher up, above about 1800m and there is still a chill in the air, especially under any cloud cover and in the breeze which was also blowing above the village. The area is very quiet at the moment during the week, and I didn't see anyone on the trails, apart from the local donkeys and a few cows.

Managed to get just under 630m of vert and about 10.4km in distance. Photos from a cloudy jog below...

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Weather:
There is still some snow visible above 1750m/1800m in the area this morning after the dustings of Tuesday night and yesterday.

The charts are chopping and changing in terms of the potential for some much colder air to affect this part of the Alps next week. After appearing to drop the idea of cold on yesterday morning's charts, yesterday evening's ECMWF model run painted a fairly chilly picture again from about Tuesday of next week, with the possibility of a bit of snow down towards the village. This morning's update continues the potential for a chilly (but probably not snowy) snap, so it is definitely one we'll be keeping a close eye on. Realistically, at the moment, it does look as though anything significantly snowy will be further east, but a shift in the pattern westwards could bring something more interesting, or a shift eastwards would eliminate any potential for cold, so the situation is finely poised. Before then, the weather is now looking mostly dry and there should be pleasant sunshine at times over the coming days.

Next Update:
Perhaps this afternoon if we get any photos from higher up - if not it will be tomorrow.

Weather:
Following from the earlier post this morning, there have been one or two showers, but the weather is clearing at times and the latest view is below. Illness is currently preventing an excursion higher up - but hopefully we'll get some photos from the tops in the next couple of days.

Although a few charts in the last 24 hours have been hinting at a much colder outlook for next week, showing high pressure over the UK allowing in a cold plunge of air into the Alps from the north, the latest model output pushes any really cold air further to the east. Therefore, at the moment, the outlook looks like being a fairly benign, autumnal one.

Next Update:
Tomorrow.

Weather:
The expected dusting of snow to higher areas has arrived overnight, as shown in the photos below.

Update to follow...

Next Update:
During today.

Weather:
Low pressure is dominating the local weather this week, with a damp day yesterday and there is more rain to come today and tonight, when the air may also become cold enough to bring a bit of snow to higher areas! The 0c isotherm is quite high this morning, up at around 2500m and it may go higher, before easing down tonight to around 1700m by early tomorrow, so, couple that cool down with some precipitation and there is a chance that we may see some whiteness on some of the higher areas by tomorrow. Although it is likely to only be a dusting (it it happens), it will potentially be our first glimpse of local snowfall at 1800m this season. Last year, we saw a significant early snowfall in late September, when up to 25cm of snow fell at 1800m and there was even a dusting in the village (see here), but it is important to note that any early snowfalls have no bearing on the coming ski season in our local area. November is generally the month when we start to get interested by snowfalls having some value for the ski area. The graphic below is the Arome short range model, high resolution chart for tomorrow morning, showing that potential for a local dusting.

Photos / Trail Running:
The weather has not been playing ball this week for allowing photos from higher up (along with a cold curtailing excursions), but these should resume shortly.

Next Update:
Tomorrow morning.

Welcome:
Welcome back to the Chatel Snow Report for the winter 2021/2022 snow season!

You will probably have noticed some changes - as the chatelsnowreport.com and chatelweb websites have now merged into one simpler format. We are using quite an old design, due partly to preserve many of the older pages, so there may be bugs, which you can let us know about by emailing us at: info@chatelsnowreport.com

There has also been some trail and mountain running information added to the site, which is another passion of ours and this info will expand over the coming months.

Snow report, trail and general updates will appear on this page from now on, not daily initially, but the reports will become more frequent as the snow season approaches. Note that the last 3 seasons snow report have been summarised, as it was not possible to mover every single post across from the platform we were using during that period.

The ummaries can be found by clicking here.

With the rain bucketing down outside, today is not really a good day to get up into the cretes, but photos will be posted again as soon as the bad weather clears away, though that may take a couple of days.
At the moment, apart from some high level snowfall, mostly falling above 2000m / 2300m early this week, there is no prospect of any meaningful snowfall to lower elevations. However, as soon as the charts start to look snow laden, they will be posted on here.

During this month, there will be a look at some of the indicators for the coming winter season, which can be useful in giving us a hint about the general patterns ahead.

Resort Opening:
The latest information we have is that the resort opening day is set for the 18th December. Normally, if there is plentiful early season snow, then parts of PLJ and Linga can open at weekends at the end of November or early December, but that is not currently being mentioned on the official Chatel.com website.

All we can do is to keep our fingers crossed that the Covid situation continues to improve and that travel to and from the mountains is as hassle free as possible and that we see the snowfalls arrive.

Other Stuff:
The Instagram and Twitter social media feeds will also re-start this month. We will again be running our WhatsApp group through the coming season and details on how to join this will be posted in due course.